Very quickly, Feng Jiu’er sensed that something was off about Mu Mu.

She thought it over again, and her heart sank at once. “You…”

Her voice came out so hoarse—even speaking had become this difficult!

“What do you want to say?” Mu Mu himself didn’t know what was wrong with him today; he only felt that his behavior had become somewhat… uncontrollable.

He gripped her hand tightly once more, channeling true energy into her, also hoping to use the act of channeling his energy as a way to focus his own concentration.

Something was wrong, very wrong with him—but with A’Jiu’s soft little hand resting in his palm, the clear, sharp thoughts that should have filled his mind instead grew more and more scattered as her breathing became steadier and clearer.

Feng Jiu’er’s eyes widened. Who had sealed her pressure points, leaving her unable to even speak?

She could only watch helplessly as Mu Mu laid her down on the bed, this man whose eyes had already grown somewhat hazy, now half-lying over her body!

Whatever pretense he’d made of channeling energy into her was all false—the moment he’d taken hold of her hand, his breathing had already grown ragged and disordered.

If she hadn’t overheard their conversation outside just now, A’Jiu would never have doubted the feelings between Mu Mu and herself.

But what had he just been saying out there? Because she was the Phoenix Maiden, so from the very beginning he had to find every means to draw close to her.

Ha—she had always wondered why Mu Mu was so utterly obsessed with her.

At first, she had only treated him once. Yet because of that single encounter, he had turned around and told her that he had decided she would be his future bride.

He had even given her his family’s most treasured possession!

Ha, how naive she truly had been—she had taken what he gave her and treasured it so carefully, fearing that she might one day carelessly lose his “family treasure.”

How foolish could she be?

What Phoenix Maiden? She wasn’t anything of the sort! They had simply mistaken her for someone else, that was all—just a case of mistaken identity!

Feng Jiu’er struggled to lift her hand to push him away, but she truly had no strength left at all.

Clearly, her physical strength was gradually returning bit by bit, yet she still couldn’t even lift her hand.

Her throat was parched, and she wanted desperately to speak, but with her pressure points sealed, forcing her voice out was painfully difficult.

Mu Mu! Mu Mu, let go of her! Let go! This damnable scoundrel!

Mu Mu’s eyes had already become thoroughly clouded by the floral fragrance, hazy and confused, having entirely lost their usual luster.

He lowered his head, his thin lips landing against her neck, his consciousness thoroughly bewitched by the drug, unable to recall anything at all—knowing only that he wanted this young woman before him, wanted her so very, very much.

Perhaps, only by having her could his life finally hold even a sliver of sunlight.

No longer needing to live each day for the sake of revenge, no longer needing to think every moment of the burden upon his shoulders.

He wanted to be with her, wanted to spend a lifetime protecting this young woman, wanted to find some place with her where no one knew them, some idyllic paradise, where they could simply live out a plain and simple life together.

He truly didn’t want to go on with his current life—not in the slightest.

“A’Jiu…” Those burning lips gradually moved to Feng Jiu’er’s cheek, his large hand falling down, unconsciously beginning to tear at her clothing.

Feng Jiu’er blinked, her eyes filled with anxiety. Although her two lips were able to move, she simply couldn’t get any sound out.

She had never studied the ancient techniques of sealing pressure points; the point-sealing she knew was meant to complement massage and acupuncture, meant to save lives.

This kind of technique that sealed points so a person couldn’t move at all—she had only ever heard of it in books, never truly experienced it.

It turned out that legends weren’t merely legends after all; it turned out legends weren’t simply legends—this point-sealing technique truly did exist!

She forced her lips to move, but although her mouth and teeth could move, no sound would come out at all.

Mu Mu’s lips had already reached the edge of hers.

Suddenly, Feng Jiu’er drew a deep breath and bit down with all her remaining strength.

Her strength right now truly wasn’t much, so this all-out bite only managed to break the skin of Mu Mu’s lip, drawing out a thin trace of blood.

But that small sting of pain was enough to bring Mu Mu’s clouded consciousness back to faint awareness.

Looking down, he saw that his entire body was pressing down upon A’Jiu, her expression panicked, her eyes fixed on him filled with anger, yet also with fear.

“They sealed your pressure points?”

Mu Mu’s heart clenched tight, his long fingers sweeping swiftly across her neck.

Feng Jiu’er only felt a sharp sting at a certain spot on the nape of her neck, and when she moved her hand again, she found she could actually lift it.

Without even thinking, she raised her hand and swung it—a crisp slap landed loudly across Mu Mu’s face.

Feng Jiu’er then pushed with all her remaining strength, and although it still wasn’t much, she at least managed to push Mu Mu off her body somewhat.

Mu Mu sat at the edge of the bed, while A’Jiu finally managed to crawl up, shifting herself further toward the inner side of the bed.

Her hands and feet were still limp and weak—although her pressure points had been released, the bone-softening powder they’d given her earlier still had several tenths of its potency remaining in her body.

Recovering all her strength at once would probably not be easy!

“A’Jiu.” Her eyes, filled with wariness and anger, sent a sharp pang through Mu Mu’s heart.

“In your eyes, am I Feng Jiu’er, or am I the Phoenix Maiden?” A’Jiu let out a cold snort, her icy gaze falling on his face.

Mu Mu’s face remained flushed, his breathing heavy—clearly, the floral drug’s effects were still acting within his body.

But at this moment, he was at least lucid. “You already… know everything?”

Was it because he and his master had been overheard talking outside just now?

If so, all the better—at least, he no longer needed to keep deceiving her.

Having deceived her, he hadn’t felt good about it either.

Mu Mu reached out his hand. Feng Jiu’er immediately clenched her fist tight, saying angrily, “If you dare come any closer, I will absolutely fight you to the death!”

“A’Jiu…” He felt terrible, truly terrible. He hadn’t been thinking of anything—he had only wanted to hold her, to kiss her.

Something was running wild within his own body, scorching hot, like a single flame, nearly burning his entire being to ash.

He truly wanted to hold her, wanted to so very, very much.

“Mu Mu! Don’t touch me!” His large hand had already seized her wrist, his consciousness once again beginning to slip away.

His reason crumbled bit by bit, and within those bloodshot eyes, there was nothing but the urge to possess.

“Mu Mu! Let go!” Feng Jiu’er found herself pressed down again, and at this moment, before him, she didn’t have even the slightest strength left to resist.

How had things come to this? Ninth Imperial Uncle, Ninth Imperial Uncle, where are you?

“Mu Mu, let go, release… me!”

Suddenly, the smell of blood rapidly grew thick and heavy.

Feng Jiu’er’s eyes widened as she watched the man who had suddenly released her, stumbling back several steps.

There was clearly a streak of blood across his arm, bright red blood still continuously seeping out and trickling down.

But she… hadn’t hurt him, nor had she even had the chance to hurt him.

Why would this happen?

She looked again at Mu Mu’s hand—at his fingertips, bright red blood was dripping down.

He… had wounded himself! Why?